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20 March 2004
AMSTERDAM — Princess Juliana, the former queen and mother of current Dutch monarch Queen Beatrix, has died at the age of 94, it was announced on Saturday.
Princess Juliana (1909-2004)
Princess Juliana passed away in her sleep at 5.50am in her official residence, Soestdijk Palace in the Baarn municipality.
She died as a result of pneumonia combined with a “general weakness” of her constitution, the government information service RVD said.
Prince Bernhard and three of Juliana’s four daughters were at her bedside when she died. Her fourth child, Princess Christina, arrived home at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam shortly after her death.
Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, Princess Maxima and their baby daughter, future queen Princess Amalia, are expected to return from their winter sports holiday in Lech, Austria, later on Sunday.
Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina was born on 30 April 1909 in The Hague as the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik. She was queen of the Netherlands from 1948 to 1980 and had been in ill-health for several years.
Princess Juliana married in 1937 and is survived by her 92-year-old German-born husband, Prince Bernhard, and their four daughters: Queen Beatrix, Irene, Margriet and Christina.
In 1999, it was announced that due to her advanced years it was no longer possible for her to appear with the rest of the royal family at public events.
Princess Juliana suffered from memory loss and had privately lived out her remaining years in Soestdijk Palace. Queen Beatrix admitted last year that each day was difficult for her mother.
It is not yet known when Princes Juliana’s funeral will occur, but it is expected that she will be laid to rest on 31 March. Like the October 2002 funeral of Prince Claus — the husband of Queen Beatrix — the ceremony will be private.
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende led the tributes to the much-loved former queen. Addressing the nation at 10am on Saturday, he described Princess Juliana as “mother to us all” and he praised her compassion for people.
He also said Princess Juliana had won the hearts of every Dutch citizen.
[Copyright Expatica News 2004]
Subject: Dutch news + Dutch royal family